Dont run over the fire truck

There is definitely no excuse, whether intentional or not. New or experienced. If you have a Class A CDL in a commerical motor vehicle then you are a professional driver and you need to conduct yourself "PROFESSIONALLY"! I wouldn't in anyway feel bad about it. You most definitely did the right thing. The driver isn't going to get fired over it, but I am certain he/she will be talked to and possible even sent through some safety refresher. Thank you for making the call. All emergency vehicles in any state of the country should have the right away and be taken seriously every time!

While on the subject if you are in a commercial vehicle (big rig) and there is an emergency vehicle or cop on the side of the road you need to move over a lane and slow down. I personally try my best to do it with any vehicle on the side of the road. I had a personal experience one time with a car on the side of the road and I don't know if was a pee-pee break or what but a little kid came darting out partially into the lane running around from the front of the vehicle and if I hadn't moved over when I was approaching that would have been his last time doing that. You never what to expect from ANY vehicle on the shoulder of a road or interstate!

 

I understand your dilemma man....but hell he coulda killed one of you guys. You were and are a professional driver....you know what we go thru and you know how we are SUPPOSED to deal with situations

I say you did right

 

Keep in mind...many, many of the "truckers" out on the road today are actually only 4 wheelers behind the steering wheel of a big truck....not a "Professional" in any sense of the word!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93V_cU0thEY

Ohh you meant, Man Dont Run Over The Fire Truck!

 

Yep we are bigger and deadlier..

As a former Paramedic thanks for what you do. As a new trucker thanks for what that idiot made you do.

The move over law is federal now.. all 50 states have adopted a law that started in Indiana after the dead of an Indiana Trooper. If you can't move slow way down..

Yes, it irritates me when I mover an get passed on the right by an idiot 4-wheeler..

 

When you do the class for Traffic Control Flagger, they warn you about this stuff.

What it is, is someone looks over to see what's going on, and Lo-and Behold, their hands move the vehicle where there eyes are pointing. #3 cause of Traffic Control Flagger Fatalities.

They see the lights, they are trying look through the lights to see what you're doing, and by doing so they zone out, causing this situation to happen.

Good call on hitting the horn.

 

If more people were courtious instead of dumb ###'s this law would never of had to be put in effect in the first place.

It should be common sense. If you see lights on the shoulder wether it be taillights, 4 ways or emergency vehicles get the heck over. As was said before you have no clue as to what is going on and what could walk out of in front of that vehicle.

Or if someone is changing a tire how would you feel if the tailwind from your vehicle knocked the car off the jack and crushed the persons leg under the car or something. But I guess if you are one of the people that don't move over when you can you don't care about the poor sap on the side of the road you only care about yourself.

If you ask me a $500 fine is not near steep enough for such stupidity. You get a higher fine for being overloaded.

 

You should sit down and speak to a couple Senior Flaggers, or a Traffic Control Supervisor. You'll be absolutely amazed of the sheer stupidity half of America's Drivers have.

 

Or be on the scene of an accident and try to extricate and move the patients when the drivers are more interested in watching than driving.

I have been almost hit 3 times on these scene. Day light or night makes no difference.

 

Plain Daylight, with no clouds, between noon, and 3pm are the "death hours" for Traffic Control. Everyone wants to watch and see what's going on, subcontiously, they end up steering the wheel into the scene they are watching.

Just like drving a car, if you look your eyes at a spot 15ft ahead, your car will gently move into that spot. Same concept applies for all distances and speeds in the car.

In some cases the flashing lights aren't good because they make for a distraction "Oh, pretty"...

It's only the 1 in 4 drivers that will actually realize, "Oh Shiot, I need to get out of the way" Cars behind that 1 in 4, will follow the lead. But if you have one of the 3 out of four in front of the column of cars, they'll go straight towards your position.

Because they are curious, and wanting to see what's going on. In Traffic Control Class, we actually went over live footage of an industrial tow-truck (the kind you'd use to haul a Semi-Truck) within seconds drive over three lanes, and into the Traffic Control Flaggers position, (he got away, and of course sounded the alarm) the two out of the five in the trench (at the farthest point away, since they had the most time to react) got out of the way, and we got to see the Dump-Truck literally drive straight into the ditch with the other three still in it. (traffic control cam)

Truck Driver was going the posted speed limit, but it was because he was looking into what they were doing in the trench, he subcontiously starting steering where he was looking, low-and behold. Three road workers dead, and a flagger almost bit it.

It only takes that 3 out of 4 drivers to get really hooked on what's going on, and THAT is when you get idiots who will nearly kill you, if not succeed.